Soft Pink Shell Stitch Baby Set Free Crochet Pattern

Oh, this little set just melts my heart! A soft pink shell stitch cardigan, a matching bonnet and the tiniest booties, all tied up with pale pink satin ribbon — it is heirloom-pretty, but every piece is simpler than it looks once you find the rhythm of the shells.

The cardigan is worked top-down with raglan shaping, so there are no shoulder seams to sew. The bonnet starts as a sweet six-sided medallion and finishes with a shell stitch brim, and the booties work up from the toe in no time at all. The set is sized for newborn to 3 months and makes the most unforgettable baby shower gift.

Materials

• 400 yards of DK weight yarn in soft pink (cardigan 250 yards, bonnet 90 yards, booties 60 yards)
• 3.5mm crochet hook, main hook
• 3.25mm crochet hook, for foundation chains only
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Stitch markers, at least 6
• Blocking pins and mat
• 2 yards of pale pink satin ribbon, 3/8 inch wide, for the cardigan and bonnet
• 1/2 yard of pale pink satin ribbon, 3/8 inch wide, for the booties

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• ch-sp: chain space
• dc: double crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• sc: single crochet
• sk: skip
• sl st: slip stitch
• st/sts: stitch / stitches
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side

Special Stitches

• Shell stitch: work 5 dc all into the same stitch or space. This counts as one shell.
• V-stitch: work (dc, ch 1, dc) all into the same stitch or space.
• Sc2tog: insert hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop, insert hook into the following stitch and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops.
• Dc2tog: yarn over, insert hook into the next stitch, pull up a loop and draw through 2 loops; yarn over, insert hook into the following stitch, pull up a loop and draw through 2 loops; yarn over and draw through all 3 loops.
• Scallop edging: skip 2 stitches, work 5 dc into the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch into the next stitch, repeat across.

Gauge & Size

• Finished size: newborn to 3 months — cardigan chest 17 inches closed, length 9.5 inches, sleeve 5.5 inches; bonnet circumference 13 inches; bootie sole 3.5 inches
• Gauge: 18 dc = 4 inches and 14 rows of shell stitch = 4 inches with the 3.5mm hook, blocked
• Construction: cardigan top-down raglan worked flat, bonnet in rounds then rows, booties toe-up in rounds
• Skill level: Intermediate

Cardigan Yoke Pattern

Foundation chain: With the smaller hook, ch 51. Switch to the main hook for Row 1.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across, turn. (50 sc)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in the first stitch and place a marker in it for the right front corner, sc in the next 6 sts, place a marker in the next st for the right raglan point, sc in the next 10 sts, place a marker in the next st, sc in the next 18 sts, place a marker in the next st, sc in the next 10 sts, place a marker in the next st, sc in the next 6 sts, sc in the last st and place a marker in it for the left front corner, turn. (50 sc: right front 7, right sleeve 10, back 18, left sleeve 10, left front 7)

Row 3 (RS, increase row): Ch 1, sc in each stitch to 1 stitch before the first raglan marker, work (sc, ch 1, sc) into the marked stitch, and repeat at all 4 raglan points, sc in the last stitch, turn. Move the markers up to the ch-1 spaces just created. (58 sts, counting the ch-1 spaces as stitches)

Row 4 (WS): Ch 1, sc in each stitch and each ch-1 space across, turn. (58 sc)

Rows 5 to 16: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 alternately six more times. Each pair of rows adds 8 stitches. (106 sc after Row 16; section counts: right front 14, right sleeve 24, back 32, left sleeve 24, left front 14)

Row 17 (RS, eyelet row): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the next 2 sts, (ch 1, sk 1 st, dc in the next st) across to the last 2 sts, dc in the last 2 sts, turn. This row makes the ribbon channel at the neckline; do not break the yarn.

The yoke should measure approximately 2.5 inches from the foundation chain.

Cardigan Body Pattern

Row 18 (WS, division row): Ch 1, sc in the first 14 sts (right front), ch 4 for the underarm bridge, skip the 22 sleeve sts, sc in the next 32 sts (back), ch 4 for the underarm bridge, skip the 22 sleeve sts, sc in the last 14 sts (left front), turn. (64 working stitches and chains)

Row 19 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each stitch and chain across, turn. (64 sc)

Row 20 (WS, setup): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same stitch (half shell at the edge), sk 2 sts, sc in the next st, sk 2 sts, (5 dc in the next st, sk 2 sts, sc in the next st, sk 2 sts) across to the last stitch, 2 dc in the last stitch (half shell at the edge), turn. (10 full shells + 2 half shells)

Row 21 (RS): Ch 1, sc in the first stitch, (5 dc in the next sc, sc in the centre dc of the next shell) across, ending with 5 dc in the last sc and sc in the top of the turning chain, turn.

Row 22 (WS): Ch 3, dc in the same stitch, sk 2 sts, sc in the centre dc of the first shell, (sk 2 sts, 5 dc in the next sc, sk 2 sts, sc in the centre dc of the next shell) across to the last sc, sk 2 sts, 2 dc in the last sc, turn.

Repeat Rows 21 and 22 alternately until the body measures 6.5 inches from the underarm division, ending with a WS row — about 18 to 20 rows of shell pattern in total. The cardigan should measure approximately 9 inches from the foundation chain to the last row.

Hem edging: With RS facing, ch 1, work along the lower edge: sl st in the first edge stitch, (sk 2 sts, 5 dc in the next st, sk 2 sts, sl st in the next st) across. Fasten off. (10 scallops)

Sleeve Pattern (Make 2)

With RS facing, join the yarn to the centre of the underarm bridge.

Round 1: Work 2 sc into the bridge, sc in the first held sleeve stitch, sc2tog over the next 2 sts, work the shell pattern (5 dc into the next stitch, sk 2, sc into the next stitch) four times across 20 sts, sc2tog over the next 2 sts, sc in the last sleeve stitch, work 2 sc into the remaining bridge, join with sl st. (24 sts)

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in the same stitch, continue in shell pattern as established around, join. (24 sts, 4 shells)

Work in shell stitch rounds for 14 more rounds, about 16 rounds in total, keeping 4 shell repeats throughout. The sleeve should measure approximately 5 inches before edging.

Cuff edging: Ch 1, sl st in the first stitch, (sk 2, 5 dc in the next stitch, sk 2, sl st in the next stitch) around, join. Fasten off.

Front and neck edging: With RS facing, starting at the lower right front corner, ch 1 and work sc evenly up the right front edge, across the back neck into the foundation chain, and down the left front edge, about 2 sc per row end on the front edges and 1 sc per chain across the back neck. Then work the scallop edging along each front edge only, and 1 sc in each stitch across the back neck to keep it smooth. Fasten off.

Ribbon: Cut a 28 inch length of ribbon and weave it in and out through the eyelet row at the neckline, from centre front right to centre front left, and tie it in a bow. Trim the ends on a diagonal.

Bonnet Pattern

Foundation ring: Ch 6, join with sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc into the ring, (ch 2, 3 dc into the ring) 5 times, ch 2, join with sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (6 clusters of 3 dc, 6 ch-2 corner spaces)

Round 2: Sl st to the first ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the same space, ch 1, then (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the next ch-2 space, ch 1, repeat around, join. (12 clusters, 6 ch-2 corner spaces, 6 ch-1 spaces)

Round 3: Sl st to the first ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same space, ch 1, 3 dc in the ch-1 space, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next ch-2 corner space, repeat around, join. (18 clusters, 6 ch-2 corner spaces, 12 ch-1 spaces)

Round 4: Sl st to the first ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same space, (ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-1 space) twice, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next ch-2 corner space, repeat around, join. (24 clusters, 6 corner spaces, 18 intermediate spaces)

Round 5: Sl st to the first ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same space, (ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-1 space) 3 times, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next ch-2 corner space, repeat around, join. (30 clusters, 6 corner spaces, 24 intermediate spaces)

The crown medallion should measure approximately 4.5 inches across and lie flat.

Brim setup row: With RS facing, ch 1, work 62 sc evenly across the front five panel groups of the crown edge, turn. (62 sc)

Brim Row 1 (WS): Ch 3, dc in the same stitch, (sk 2 sts, sc in the next st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in the next st) 9 times, sk 2, sc in the next st, sk 2, 2 dc in the last stitch, turn. (10 shell units)

Brim Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first stitch, (5 dc in the next sc, sc in the centre dc of the shell) 9 times, 5 dc in the next sc, sc in the top of the turning chain, turn.

Brim Row 3: Ch 3, dc in the same stitch, sk 2, sc in the centre dc of the first shell, (sk 2, 5 dc in the next sc, sk 2, sc in the centre dc of the next shell) 9 times, 2 dc in the last sc, turn.

Repeat Brim Rows 2 and 3 two more times, for 6 brim rows in total. The brim should measure approximately 1.75 inches deep.

Brim edging: With RS facing, work along the front open edge: sl st in the first stitch, (sk 2, 5 dc in the next stitch, sk 2, sl st in the next stitch) across. Fasten off.

Back neck edging: With RS facing, join the yarn at the left back neck corner and work 1 row of sc evenly across the back neck edge, approximately 30 sc. Fasten off.

Ribbon ties: Cut two 18 inch lengths of ribbon and sew or loop one securely to each lower corner of the brim edge, to tie under the chin in a bow.

Booties Pattern (Make 2)

Foundation chain: Ch 8 with the smaller hook, then switch to the main hook.

Round 1: Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, sc in the next 5 chains, 3 sc in the last chain, then working along the opposite side of the chain, sc in the next 5 chains, 2 sc in the last chain, join. (16 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first stitch, sc in the next 5 sts, 2 sc in each of the next 2 sts, sc in the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the last stitch, join. (20 sc)

Rounds 3 to 8: Ch 1, sc in each stitch around, join. (20 sc each round)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in the first 6 sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in the last 6 sts, join. (18 sc)

Round 10: Ch 1, sc in the first 6 sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 2 sts, sc2tog, sc in the last 6 sts, join. (16 sc)

Round 11: Ch 1, sc in each stitch around, join. (16 sc)

Round 12: Ch 3, dc in the next 2 sts, (2 dc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch) 4 times, dc in the last 4 sts, join. (20 dc)

Round 13: Ch 1, sc in the first stitch, sk 2 sts, (5 dc in the next stitch, sk 2 sts, sc in the next stitch, sk 2 sts) 3 times, 5 dc in the next stitch, sk 2 sts, join with sl st to the first sc. (4 shells)

Rounds 14 and 15: Sl st to the centre dc of the first shell, ch 1, sc in the same stitch, 5 dc in the next sc, (sc in the centre dc of the next shell, 5 dc in the next sc) 3 times, join. (4 shells each round)

Cuff edging: Ch 1, sl st in the first sc, (sk 2, 5 dc in the next stitch, sk 2, sl st in the next stitch) 4 times around, join. Fasten off. (4 scallops)

Ribbon: Thread a 9 inch length of ribbon through the gap between the instep and the cuff, around Round 12, and tie it in a bow at the front centre.

Finishing & Assembly

Weave in all ends with your tapestry needle, working each tail through at least an inch of stitches in two directions before trimming.

Wet block every piece: soak in cool water with a gentle baby-safe soap, press the water out without wringing, and pin to the finished dimensions — the cardigan flat with the sleeves at their measured length, the bonnet crown flat with the brim shaped gently forward, and the booties stuffed loosely with a rolled towel so the cuffs stand upright. Let everything dry completely, 12 to 24 hours, and thread the ribbons only after blocking so they stay crisp.

Tips

Count at every checkpoint on the cardigan yoke. Two minutes of counting saves a whole evening of frogging!

For a 3 to 6 month size, add 2 more increase rows to the yoke (the body will have 72 sc and 12 shell repeats), extend the body by 3 to 4 rows and work the sleeves for 18 to 20 rounds.

To size the bonnet up, add one more crown round and one more pair of brim shell rows; for bigger booties, add 2 extra sc rounds to the sole section.